The Present Application relates, generally, to a connector for a memory card, and more specifically, to a memory card connector with an easily-manufactured configuration which does not increase the number of components, yet is able to reliably detect a card without malfunctioning.
Electronic devices such as personal computers, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital and video cameras, music players, gaming devices and onboard navigational devices are equipped with connectors that can accept a variety of memory cards. Types of memory cards include Subscriber Identity Module cards, Multimedia cards, Secure Digital cards, MiniSD cards, xD-Picture cards, Memory Sticks, Smart Media and MicroSD cards. An example of a conventional connector is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-84624.
FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of a conventional connector. Referring to FIG. 8, an end of the memory card, not shown, is inserted from the lower left to the upper right. A shell consisting of a metal sheet is mounted on the upper side of the insulated housing 811 (the shell is omitted here in order to show the interior configuration). A plurality of terminals 851, mounted on the insulated housing 811, contact the contact pad of the memory card. A protruding portion engages a portion of the memory card and slides along the side 811c of the insulated housing 811. A slider 821 in the card eject mechanism is biased by a coil spring 881 towards the lower left. A detection switch is arranged on the inner wall 811a of the insulated housing 811 to detect the presence of a memory card. The detection switch has an elastic first moving contact member 852 and an elastic second moving contact member 853, which are separated from each other and turned off when a memory card has not been inserted into the insulated housing 811. When a memory card has been inserted, the end portion of the memory card applies pressure which displaces the moving contact members 852, 853, establishing contact between them and turning on the detection switch. Thus, the insertion of a memory card can be detected.